What’s going on with John Carlson?

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Seahawks tight end John Carlson, blanketed here by Detroit Lions linebacker Julian Peterson (59), has to get better separation in order to increase his productivity, according to coach Jim Mora. (Getty Images/Otto Greule Jr.)

John Carlson says he’s not worried about it, but he’s caught just four passes over the past four games, a far cry from his expected production in the Seattle Seahawks offense.

As a rookie a year ago, Carlson set a franchise record for receptions by a tight end with 55 for 627 yards. He was ahead of that pace halfway through this season with 33 catches for 372 yards.

But somewhere in the last month, even as Seattle’s offensive line has healed and he’s been able to get more involved in route running, his receiving role has hit the skids.

John Carlson has only caught four passes for 54 yards in the past four games. (Getty Images/Andy Lyons)

He caught just one pass for 9 yards Sunday against San Francisco on the heels of two catches for 14 yards at St. Louis and a big goose egg — his first since the fourth game of his rookie season — a week earlier in Minnesota.

Both Carlson and his coaches cite a myriad of reasons, including defenses focusing more on knocking him off his routes in recent weeks and his need to learn how to shed that contact.

But the second-year man out of Notre Dame insists he’s not stewing about his numbers.

“The bottom line is we’ve won two in a row,” he said Wednesday. “If I don’t have any more catches this year but we win the rest of the games, that’ something I’m willing to do. I’ll be happy with that.

“I want to catch the ball and make plays down field just like any tight end wants to do,” he said. “But part of my job is to run block and pass block and if I’m asked to do those things more than run routes, that’s my job and I’m happy to be out there on the field.

“I just hope we can continue this win streak. And I’m counting two as a win streak.”

Surely there’s frustration though, right? Two weeks ago, Carlson caught a 14-yard pass from Matt Hasselbeck in St. Louis and then jumped to his feet and pumped his arm forward in a first-down signal, a rare show of emotion for the quiet 25-year old.

But Carlson insists that wasn’t about finally getting a pass in his hands.

“I got popped on the play. I got smacked,” he said. “So I tried to get up quick and show that that didn’t hurt. That was the reason. I usually try to stay away from that stuff.”

What hurt more was the blow came from 188-pound cornerback Quincy Butler, who was giving up about 60 pounds to the well-built tight end.

“I didn’t see him coming,” Carlson said with a grin, “which is why it was a good hit.”

John Carlson

Carlson said he’s only leaped to his feet and done the first-down signal once before in his career, during his final home game at Notre Dame against Duke.

“They gave me a personal foul for it,” he said. “Had I had any more college games, I wouldn’t have done that anymore. You can get away with a lot more in the NFL, but that’s not really my style.”

Complaining isn’t his style either, which is why you’ll hear nary a peep about his lack of involvement in the passing game. Carlson is the anti-Houshmandzadeh. He’ll never say his team should just throw him the ball more, even in jest.

His dad was his high school basketball coach on a team that won three state titles in little Litchfield, Minn., and he’s the classic coach’s kid. The only thing frustrating him in his two seasons in Seattle is the lack of winning.

“I feel pretty good right now. We’ve won our last two and we’re trying to build on that momentum,” he said. “Obviously we didn’t want last year to happen the way it did and we’ve struggled this year and haven’t really lived up to what we think we are.

“But at this point in the season I think we’re improving, we’ve got a little more confidence and hopefully we can continue that.”

Seahawks fans would love to see more of this: The ball coming to John Carlson. (Getty Images/Otto Greule Jr.)

Offensive coordinator Greg Knapp said Carlson has not been forgotten.

“Last week’s game plan, two of the first four passes called were intended to be him No. 1 and both times there was a protection breakdown,” Knapp said. “The fifth play was coming his way and they did a good job on coverage.

“We’re trying to get him involved more, but I never want to get to the point where we’re forcing the issue and that has happened before in the past with our quarterback. So we can only do so much by game plan, but if the quarterback doesn’t have it, I don’t want him to force the throw and get a turnover.”

Both Knapp and head coach Jim Mora said Carlson needs to learn how to shed linebackers who are bumping him as he’s getting into his routes.

Carlson isn’t arguing with that assessment, but thinks recent teams just have had a penchant for that physical style against the tight end.

“It’s not that they’re making a concerted effort because it’s me, it’s just what they do,” he said. “It’s their MO. So we’ve seen a lot of that lately and it affects timing and makes it hard.”

Mora feels the Seahawks also have to do a better job of protecting Hasselbeck and giving him time to get to his downfield reads, which will open things up for Carlson and others.

Carlson said he’s been held in to block a lot less in recent weeks, so the opportunities should come. And Mora said the same.

SeattlePI.com columnist Jim Moore spoke for many fans in his inimitable way when he asked Mora what was going on with Carlson because he’s on his fantasy football team.

“It’s a lot of things,” Mora said, going into the litany of reasons. “I can’t tell you whether to keep him or drop him this week. But I’m keeping him.”